Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says President Donald Trump has asked him to rebuild the U.S.'s relationship with Russia and not allow political turmoil over possible ties to his campaign to get in the way.

wire reports

Tillerson: Trump says look past turmoil and re-engage Russia

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says President Donald Trump has asked him to rebuild the U.S.'s relationship with Russia and not allow political turmoil over possible ties to his campaign to get in the way.

Tillerson says relations with Russia are at a low point and deteriorating, and Trump asked him to try to stabilize the relationship and rebuild trust.

The top U.S. diplomat spoke Tuesday in Wellington, New Zealand, where he met with Prime Minister Bill English.

Tillerson also said he couldn't comment on the possibility evidence could be uncovered that could bring down the administration because "I have no direct knowledge."

Report suggests Russia hackers breached voting software firm

WASHINGTON — Russian hackers attacked at least one U.S. voting software supplier days before last year's presidential election, according to a government intelligence report leaked Monday that suggests election-related hacking penetrated further into U.S. voting systems than previously known.

The classified National Security Agency report, which was published online by The Intercept, does not say whether the hacking had any effect on election results. But it says Russian military intelligence attacked a U.S. voting software company and sent spear-phishing emails to more than 100 local election officials at the end of October or beginning of November.

U.S. intelligence agencies declined to comment.

However, the Justice Department announced Monday it had charged a government contractor in Georgia with leaking a classified report containing "Top Secret level" information to an online news organization. The report the contractor allegedly leaked is dated May 5, the same date as the document The Intercept posted online.

Trump's 140-character musings Monday may have undercut his own efforts to persuade the Supreme Court to reinstate his revised travel ban, which Trump called a "watered-down, politically correct" version of what he'd originally sought. Just as Trump's Justice Department is arguing the ban doesn't target Muslims, legal experts said the president seems to be suggesting the opposite.

Those who oppose the travel ban said Trump's Tweetstorm, ironically, helps their case. Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general representing Hawaii in its lawsuit against the ban, said it was as if Trump was his co-counsel.

"We don't need the help but will take it!" Katyal wrote in his own Twitter post.

Preds even Stanley Cup Final at 2-2, beat Penguins 4-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Frederick Gaudreau sure is doing his best to earn his own locker with the Nashville Predators with a Stanley Cup Final debut for the ages.

For now, he insists he is happy enough just to sit on the floor as long as he plays.

An undrafted free agent playing in just his sixth postseason game, Gaudreau scored the go-ahead goal 3:45 into the second period and Pekka Rinne made 23 often-spectacular saves as the Predators beat the Penguins 4-1 on Monday night to even the series at 2-2.

It's now a best-of-three sprint to the Stanley Cup, and Nashville is riding a wave of momentum after outscoring the defending champions 9-2 in the Games 3 and 4 of their Final debut.

Game 5 is Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

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